Appendix B to the report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the condition of all mines in Great Britain to which the provisions of the Act 23 & 24 Vict. Cap. 151 do not apply, with reference to the health and safety of persons employed in such mines. / Presented to both houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty.
- Great Britain. Royal Commission on Mines
- Date:
- 1864
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Appendix B to the report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the condition of all mines in Great Britain to which the provisions of the Act 23 & 24 Vict. Cap. 151 do not apply, with reference to the health and safety of persons employed in such mines. / Presented to both houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![mine is rendered more generally pure. The smoke from the ex- plosion of the gimpowder and other deleterious matters are more quickly carried away, and the men are enabled to work more energetically for a longer time and with less fatigue than they could pre\'iously, and in fact, in some places under particular atmospheric conditions, they were, before the fur- naces were erected, occasionally unable to pursue their work. There is only one other furnace that I know of in the 10 Northern Lead'Mining Districts, and that is at Fallowfield Mine, near Hexharn. The workings are comparatively limited, and it is only occasionally necessary to light the furnace. Our experience of the furnace for \-entilation is highly satisfactory, and its usefulness in ventilating extensive workings underground cannot, I think, be questioned. The two furnaces and the three machines on the Blackett Level are the only cases of ventilation by exhaustion in this district. 20 The vertical shaft at this place is 77i fathoms deep, but it is at 40 fathoms from the surface where the main horse level strikes off into the workings. There are many other shafts and levels connected and communicating with the surface, so that many parts of these mines are naturally ventilated. The different levels are connec- ted by ladders or inclines, but more generally ])y the former. The men at this place have not to climb much, but at Burtree Pasture mine there is a good deal of climbing. Taking Mr. Beaumont's mines as a 30 whole, there is not a great amount of ascending and de- scending by ladders; many of the mines are worked by adits, others by vertical shafts at which is erected machinery for winding, by which the workmen are brought to the surface, and with the excejjtion of Burtree Pasture none of these mines can be considered deep, at least they are far short of the Cornish and other metallic mines. Burtree Pasture mine is worked by day or adit levels, and by vertical and inclined shafts. The main or horse level, from its mouth to the forehead, is a httle over two miles in 40 length. In this however are several sumps, communicating with other higher and lower levels, and there are two shafts which communicate with the surface, at the top of one of which is placed the furnace, 96 fathoms above the horse level. The deepest workings for lead ore are l.'i4 fathoms below the horse level, or 230 fathoms lower than the furnace, but not immediately beneath it. The furnace is more especially applied to ventilate that portion of the workings extending beyond the shaft at which it is ])laced, but it has a beneficial effect o\'er the whole mine, the air 50 being chased or traversed through the various workings by means of trap doors and such like. With the exception of the furnace, and any especial foreheads in which there is not a through communication, there are no artificial means of ventilation ai this mine. Generally speaking, when air is forced into a forehead, it is not from the surface, but from the nearest ventilated point (say, in one of the main levels) underground. The maximum distance from the surface, by existing levels and shafts, of any working in this mine, is 785 fathoms. 60 In this district the levels are generally drifted of an egg- shaped section, the maximum dimensions being 6 to 7 feet high, and 31 to 4^ feet wide. There are of course excep- tions to these dimensions, both in height and width, but these are the usual sizes. The workings for ore are of almost every conceivable size and shape, fi-om 2 to 20 feet wide, and 6 to 60 feet high but generally the veins are from 4 to 6 feet wide, and the ore is worked by headings, roofs, and soles; when a roof working gets to a height beyond reach, a timber floor or bunding is fixed, from j(j which the miners continue their operations. When the ore is found in flats the height is from 3 to 6 feet, and up to 60 or 70 feet wide on each side of the vein, but the width is exceedingly irregular. In the Burtree Pasture mine, as before mentioned, the men have a good deal of climbing; this is o\ving to the great depth of the workings, and the want of machinery adapted for winding them down and up the shafts. This will, however, I hope, shortly be obviated ■ by the erection of suitable machinery. Mr. Beaumont's mines, as a whole, are dry : there are, yQ no doubt, many wet places, but in the Great Limestone, and some other of the most productive strata, there is little water. Boys are not employed until they are 10 years of age, and then only on the surface in dressing the ores and such like. • None are employed in the mines under 13 years of age, and unless they are robust and healthy they must be 15 or upwards. Much depends too on the place of work. Youths of from 13 to 18 are not allowed to commence in the mines unless the place is unobjectionable as regards ventilation, &c. 9[) In connexion with the Allendale mines there is an arrangement for providing medical attendance and medi- c oines to the workmen and their families. Each workman who is a householder pays 5 s., unmarned workmen or lodgers 2s. 6c?., and boys about a day's pay, per annum. The married workmen in addition pay 7s. 6d. for each midv^dfery case. These sums, except the last, which is paid in full, are paid by half-yearly instalments at the offices of Mr. Beaumont, and go towards payment of the salary of the medical officer of the district; the deficiency, about 47 per cent., being made up by Mr. Beaumont. 100 The surgeons are appointed by Mr. Beaumont, and receive a quarterly salary; they have to provide medicines, and gi\:e personal attendance, in all cases of sickness of the workmen or their families resident within a certain fixed district. The payment from the workmen living in that district is compulsory, but those residing beyond the limits are not required to pay the annual contribution, and do not receive the benefit of the surgeon of the works, except by paying his charges as an ordinary practitioner. The medi- cal officers are, in addition to their salary, allowed any 110 private practice of the district. In all cases of accident the surgeon of the works attends without extra pay, and he has also to examine and report on the health of candidates for admission to membership in the benefit societies on the same terms. Non-workmen, members of the benefit societv, may have the benefit of the surgeon for themselves, but not for their families, on paying at the same rate as work- men, and on condition that they intimate such to be their desire on entering the society. In the Allendale mines there are two districts—East Allendale and West Allendale; and 120 there is a resident surgeon engaged by Mr. Beaumont for each dfstrict. In the Weardale district no such arrange- ment exists. Quite independent of the preceding, there are benefit or friendly societies in the different localities. Those at Allen- heads and in West Allendale were established within the last 17 years ; the former in 1850, the latter in 1847; and both are most liberally supported by Mr. Beaumont on the principle that help is given to those that help themselves. The funds are, however, quite distinct, and imder the entire 130 control of the members. The tables were prepared by Mr. Neison, and the payments are proportioned to the age of the member on entering, and the amount of sick pay or sum at death for which he chooses to enter. Mem- bership of this society is entirely voluntary. Mr. Beaumont subscribes annually in proportion to the amount contributed by the ordinary members, and according to the funds safely and satisfactorily invested at the termination of each year's transactions. Thus, at the end of each year, Mr. Beaumont contributes jive per cent, on the total amount paid by the 140 ordinary members during the year, and tv)0 per cent, on the total capital at that time. These sums are guaranteed for periods of five years, and are purely donations. The monies of the societies are invested in the National Debt Office, the local Savings Bank, or on mortgage. Mr. Beau- mont derives no direct benefit from, nor has he any control over, the funds. In consideration of Mr. Beaumont's contribution, non- workmen are admitted members by permission of himself or his chief agent, and on payment of one halfpenny per 150 sixpence or part of sixpence beyond the rates specified in the tables. It is also a condition that^a workman, on leav- ing Mr. Beaumont's service of his own accord or for mis- conduct, has his contribution to the benefit society increased in the same proportion ; but, on the other hand, when a non-workman member enters Mr. Beaumont's service, his payment is reduced to the rates given in the tables. Except the trustees, all the officers of these societies are elected annually by the members. There is no restriction 160 on their choice, except what is stipulated by their rules, viz., that not less than one-half of the committee shall be chosen from among the honorary members. The trustees (not less than one-half of whom must be honorary members) are likewise elected by the members, but for life, or until they resign or are disqualified. These societies by special tables provide for annuities to commence on attaining 70 years of age, but not one has been sub- scribed for. Similar benefit societies do not exist in Weardale, but the 170 Miner's Lodge of Odd Fellows at St. John's Chapel num- bers many memueis (mostly miners), and has a large capital. There is also a benefit society, the members of which meet at the Miner's Home at Newhouse Office, belonging to Mr. Beaumont, and, although an old society, it has few members, and is not flourishing. At Allendale Town, too, there is an Odd Fellows Lodge, and a Friendly Society called the Royal Oak or Private Club, in consequence of its meetings being held in a private house; but these societies, although doing much 180 good, are not in prosperous circumstances. The majority of the members of all the friendly societies 2](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b23983292_0023.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
